Whilst in Johor, one of the places that we visited was Kukup in Pontian, Johor. No, we did not cross over the Kukup island to visit the Johor National Park due to time constraints but even so, Kukup Laut itself has so much to offer its visitors.

Welcome to Air Masin Village

entrance to Air Masin fishing village

Kukup reminds me of Pangkor Island in Perak but then Pangkor is an island but Kukup Laut is not. Still, both are Chinese fishing villages and both have managed to capitalized on their quaintness to attract tourists and their moolah.

Kukup floating chalet

Kukup International Ferry Terminal, Johor

Kukup may be just a small town on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia but there is a Kukup International Ferry Terminal (Terminal Feri Antarabangsa) here that is an exit point to Tanjung Balai, Indonesia. Ferries ply the waters three times a day, every day of the week, except for Fridays, when there are only two trips out.

otak-otak hawker in Air Masin Village

a restaurant in Air Masin Fishing Village

To be frank, as a “free and easy” traveller, I would have hopped on the ferry (we arrived just in time for the last boat that evening) and sailed to Indonesia but my friend reminded me that with all the gadgets we had on us, it would be a hassle going through Customs and tax may be imposed even though they are obviously used items and not newly bought from Indonesia. So there went the chance of visiting Indonesia, albeit just Tanjung Balai, which probably looks just like Kukup, except for the skin colour of locals. For your information, a trip out to Tanjung Balai, a 45-minute trip, if not mistaken, is about MYR90+ per adult per trip. Worth considering.

where there are Chinese, there are huge Chinese temples

Chinese temple in Air Masin fishing village

I had such a enjoyable time here in Kukup and in the one hour that we were there, took so many more photos than the entire three days that we were in Singapore! We went to Air Masin fishing village (Kampung Nelayan Air Masin) on foot walking from one end to the other end of the village.

.... and there are dogs

bag porters where no luggage is too heavy

Although I would like to spend more time in Kukup, I definitely am not brave enough to put up at one of the many wooden home-style resorts on rickety stilts, termed “floating chalets” here. Well, I have second thoughts even if the building was concrete, like the many that have undergone massive renovation.

typical wooden houses on stilts in Kampung Nelayan Air Masin

slightly modern house in Kukup's Air Masin Village

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